Farewell
by braceface freak
Summary: "She was very beautiful" Leia remembered aloud, "Gentle, kind-but sad." Return of the Jedi by James Kahn.   Padme Amidala survived 'Revenge of the Sith' but her battle is not over yet.


_Disclaimer: I don't own an atom of Star Wars, not even one midi-chlorian, it all belongs to George Lucas, although sometimes I wish it didn't._

_I'm going to let you read and then explain. Enjoy. _

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><p><strong>Farewell<br>**

Another volley of laser fire shook the lakeside house, the red bolts lighting up the night and glimmering off the thickened windows.

A petite brunette hurried through the living room dodging the furniture, her face calm but urgency flashed in her dark eyes. Within the circle of her arms sat a small child; a little girl whose features were uncannily like hers, from her dark hair to her brown eyes.

She ducked as one of the windows shattered, showering her and the infant with sharp shards of glass; so much for being blaster proof!  
>The child burst out into a loud wail, little fingers curling and grasping her mother's shirt tightly, fat tears rolling down her little cheeks and dripping from her chin as her legs kicked out.<p>

Continuing to run, the woman hugged her daughter close against her breast, soothing her with gentle humming.

"Quiet little one. Quiet."  
>Her calm tone seemed to work, the delicate body in her arm stilling and the screeching gradually quietening.<br>"It's all right, Mama's here."

So focused was she on her child she did not notice the other dark-haired woman hurtling towards them with a frantic expression until they collided in mid-flight, knocking each other backwards with a cry of surprise.  
>The child's shrieks once more mixed with the raucous noise of the blaster fight outside.<br>The second woman threw the first an apologetic glance her hurry forgotten as she stroked the child's hair, the mother again began hushing the girl, her gentle words more hurried as the battle sounds grew louder.

It wouldn't be long before they breached the house.

"They're here my lady," the panicked female hissed as the child grew silent again, lulled by the rocking motion of her mother's arms and soft sounds falling from her mother's mouth.

"I know," the first woman said, pulling them all into the next room as two more windows smashed, her voice was strained and face pale, for the first time since the initial blast of laser fire signalling the attack her forehead creased into a hard scowl, "They were bound to find us one day, the Jedi couldn't protect us forever."

Her hands ran over the panelled wall, her fingers searching for the little nook which she knew was there; it had been so long since she had last checked this route. She could only hope it was still fully functioning.

After what felt like a lifetime the tips of her fingers brushed a slight dip in the wood and applying as much pressure as she could to the tiny button, she watched as the hidden door sprung open: a secret of the house built for this very occasion, an occasion she had been waiting for for three years, an occasion that had haunted her since the day all this mess had begun.

Tugging the other woman by the shoulder, she pulled her into the hidden hallway.

There was a loud crash from a distant room as she closed the door behind them and raced down the stone steps, her maid following close behind.  
>The dim emergency lights flickered on as they moved deeper into the bowels of the house, both adults sighing as they caught sight of the heavy blast doors at the end of the rocky corridor. Pressing a palm up against the control pad beside the door the first woman tapped her foot impatiently as the door whirred and hummed before sliding open with the hiss of escaping air.<p>

All three of them stepped into the dark room beyond.

"Mama…scared…" the tiny person mumbled, cowering in her arms her head buried in her shoulder.

"It's all right sweetheart," she cooed, rocking her back and forth, "It's all right."

Around them the light panels finally came to life and revealed a large, bare space; at one end the floor disappeared showing a pool of deep, blue water with a round pod floating on the surface, held in place by two large clamps.

"My lady…?"

The maid stopped, her eyes locked on the face of her mistress whose entire attention was focused on the child in her arms, her long fingers skimming over the soft lines of the young one's face and pressing multiple loving kisses upon her little forehead and temples, whispering all the while.  
>The maid watched with a curious expression, not entirely sure what was going through her mistress's mind and dreading the moment when it was made clear to her.<p>

She screamed as the world shook around her, a huge booming noise deafening all three momentarily and a cloud of dust falling from the vaulted ceiling to obscure their view.

A hand grabbed hers and she bit her tongue noting that even the child wasn't crying this time, her face obscured from view in the fabric of her mother's clothes, clearly too terrified to even make a peep.

The young woman gasped as she found the infant unexpectedly thrust into her arms.

The maid's eyes fell to her mistress's young face, which she realised for the first time was lined prematurely, those brown orbs usually tinged with sadness, were now overflowing. She opened her mouth to speak, to ask what was going on (though she thought she already had a good idea) and beg her to change her mind; but the other woman was too quick.

"They are coming for me, not you. You must take her."

The handmaiden shook her head vigorously, her hands holding the child loosely in the blind hope that she would persuade the other woman to take her back and leave.

"But my lady…?"

"This child is one of the two most special beings in the entire galaxy," the mother insisted, her eyes dark and the second woman conceived that this was not merely the speech of a doting mother but the word of someone with a much more serious issue on their mind, "She must be protected at all costs."

"But…" she was again interrupted, a hand rising to stop all talk, as if nothing else was important but getting the child out of the house.

"Tamé please. Let this be your last service to me."

Silence passed between the two women, the final exchange of loyalty and thanks unspoken in their direct gazes.  
>They knew each other well enough to avoid arguing, besides it wasn't the time or the place and Tamé knew it was not her right to question her mistress; it was true that after spending three years in such close company the two had become friends, but Tamé could not forget she was first and foremost a servant, and if her mistress entrusted her with this essential mission then she would make sure it was completed to the best of her ability.<p>

Slowly the younger female nodded.

She followed obediently as she was led to the still pool, slipping soundlessly into the cramped space within the escape pod as it bobbed about on the water's surface.

"Someone will come and find you," the woman told her, leaning down to whisper the secret code-word in her ear, warning her to not open the pod to anyone but those who knew the word, then moving back. Earnestly she brushed a hand over her daughter's face with a devastated expression; her chin quivered as if she going to say something or else burst into tears, but somehow she managed to hold her nerve, slamming her palm down on the release button.

The round door slid closed and with a quiet hum and a sudden burst of compressed air the pod began to propel itself into the depths.  
>Tamé stared up at her mistress, clutching the girl to her as that beautiful, sorrow-filled face disappeared, replaced by the crushing blue-black of the Nubian waters.<p>

The mother watched her friend and her daughter go, a few tears escaped her eyes but she wiped them away stubbornly. It was better this way. Her child would be safe, and if achieving that safety meant she had to die then so be it, because she had no doubt that was the fate awaiting her when she made it back to her quarters. Not that she feared death, there was nothing more she could do to help the galaxy now; the only hope for the future rested in the girl that had just vanished into the blue and the boy she had not seen in three years: her children.

Smoothing down her creased garments and fixing a cold, resolute stare upon her face she raced her way back up to the house, losing her footing numerous times as more explosions shook the bedrock, it was a surprise when she made her way back to the kitchen that there was a house left.

She closed the hidden door behind her, sending a final message out to the universe hoping that on some level her beloved children would hear her final words to them and understand it was for them that she was making this sacrifice._  
>Leia, my beautiful, beautiful girl, be brave, be strong and do what is right.<br>Luke, never ever doubt that I love you my precious, little boy, and never ever give in.  
>I know you will both do me proud. <em>

She entered the living room just as the enforced door gave way under the pressure of blaster fire.  
>A group of seven battle droids surged in backed up by two destroyers, that made eleven blasters all focused on her head.<p>

One of the thin robots stepped forward, his metallic voice calling out with no emotion.  
>"Padmé Amidala, we have a warrant for your arrest and execution."<p>

Padmé didn't say a word as she stared the droid down, her hand slipping into the pocket of her trousers, through the self-made hole to the small holster fastened round her upper thigh.

She would die here, but she would die fighting.

"Well then," she began to slip her tiny weapon out, raising one eyebrow and smirking playfully, "What are you waiting for?"

In one swift motion the blaster was out in the open; three droids fell before their allies began to fire back and even then it took five blaster bolts to bring her down.

Padmé's body hit the floor of her secret home, her life seeping from the smoking holes in her chest and her eyes going glassy, but she could swear she could her the high pitched shrieks of two children ringing like sirens in her ears. With her final ounce of strength she raised one bloodied hand, stretching out her fingers to the invisible faces of her babies, both so very far away, whispering their names like a reverent prayer; and then with a final shot from an anxious looking droid Padmé Amidala breathed no more.

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><p><em>So Padme's death in 'Revenge of the Sith' left me feeling a little bit cold (and not in a good way), it didn't fit with her character or the original trilogy so I wrote this as a little something to cheer me up, and set a few things straight in my own mind. I don't care if it's non-canon! I hope it makes some sort of sense.<em>**  
><strong>

_Thanks for reading, and may the force be with you ;)_**  
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